The Engineering Science Student Endowment Fund (ESSEF) was created to ensure Undergraduate Engineering Students at Simon Fraser University (SFU) have the best access to the latest equipment, teaching aids and hardware for their projects.

The ESSEF was founded by Sean Donovan and Jason Krause in the spring of 1997 using the surplus from a successful fund raising campaign for the Canadian Engineering Competition. The origianl seed money was $40,000. Since 1997 the fund has growth to approximately $62,000.

The money for the projects are derived from interest on the principal which is actively managed by SFU's Development Office money managers.

At the beginning of each semester, the Chair of the Funding council sends out a message to the undergraduate engineering students informing them that proposals are being accepted for the following categories:

Competition - Projects that will be entered to compete in a competition.

Entrepreneurial - Projects that expect to produce a workable prototype. A brief business plan should be included in the project proposal.

Class - Projects that originate from an Engineering Science class or a special projects laboratory.

Miscellaneous - Travel and Projects not covered under Category A through C and/or purchase of Lab Equipment and/or teaching aids.

Simply, more money. The larger the principle, the more interest the fund is able to generate and, consequently, the larger the project awards and the better the projects. For example, The University of Waterloo has an endowment fund worth around $3 million and the students regularly use the money to fund large projects, and purchase lab equipment.

1. Industry - A fund raising campaign is underway, thanks to Sean Donovan.

2. Alumni - Starting in the Fall the EUSS is working on starting a Parting Pledge program whereby graduating students are encouraged to contribute (in a tax deductible manner). Plus after the ESSEF help make them millions on their 370 project the least they could do is kick back a few dollars.

3. Faculty - Happier students would make their lives easier.

4. Students - Since the ESSEF is a student initiative benefiting students, we should put our own foot forward and consider coughing up a couple bucks. In the Fall Semester, the EUSS is considering passing the hat asking for a small voluntary student contribution.